M38 using a M151 engine

[wingman]

Does anyone know if the 4cyl engine from a 151 Mutt would bolt up to the bellhousing for an M38?

 

[ida34]

I doubt it. The M151 has a transmission and transfer system that has them as one unit so the transmission is not the same. Also, the starter for the M151 mount facing forward onto the bell housing of the transmission. I do not know for sure as I have not personally compared to see so I may be wrong.

 

[boomer]

Hi Wingman,
MUTT parts are not interchangable (with any other vehicles).

 

[wingman]

Thanks, I got a M38a1 that had a L head M38 engine in pieces. I have a good Mutt engine but just checking if anyone ever tried a change.

 

[mikes47jeep]

no a mutt engine wont fit

you should be able to find a civilian F head pretty easily they were in cj5's, cj6's, cj3b's

the only real diffrence from the civilan F to the miltary F is the 24V system, and the military style carbureator, and these can be swapped out very eaisly

let us know how things work out

Mike

 

[boomer]

no a mutt engine wont fit

That's what I stated..........

 

[Orionspath]

Jasper has a replacement crate motor drop shipped for around $2200! I asked could I get a core credit (usually $5-600) NO GO was the reply as there is not a demand for them....Oh well.

 

[KaiserM109]

An M38 is just a Jeep CJ5, or should I say that a Jeep CJ5 is just an M38.

There are lots of really good conversions in civilian CJ5s. The only problem there is that a CJ5 has a shorter engine compartment than a CJ7, the most common older Jeep you will find.

A real nice conversion, but getting hard to find and maintain is a Buick 225 or 231 V6. The early ones were call the "Odd fire" engine because the cylinders fired 90 degrees apart. For a 6 banger that meant it fired 3 times then skipped a beat. It had a hell of a flywheel to smooth it out. I have had 2 of these engines. In about 1978 they split the crankshaft into 6 cranks with a single rod on each instead of 3 with 2 rods on each and made it run evenly. That crankshaft wasn’t as strong and was known to snap.

The Jeep 304 CUI V8 might be shoe-horned into an M38, but it might mean some serious sheet metal work. Both a 225/231 and a 304 will bolt up to easily available transmissions, possibly even your old one.

I'm putting a 1970 Jeepster Commando back together with a rebuilt 231 that I drove for years 'til my daughter's boyfriend rolled it. Under the hood the sheet metal looks just like your M38 would; it even has the notches on the right fender for the snorkel. For all the off-road use I will put it to, it has plenty of power.

I'm not sure exactly what your steering system looks like, but I'll bet it has the pre-1970 style with the pivot in the center of the cross member. If it does, look seriously into a conversion. Look at '70 to '75 Jeeps for mounting parts or do like we have done on '60s vintage Jeeps and fab’ your own. Saginaw steering boxes off of '70 to '75 GM cars like Camaros and Firebirds are really good. Look for the ones with 4 mounting ears, but take a 3 ear version if you have to. Try to get one with around 3 1/2 turns stop-to-stop on the wheel.

http://www.off-road.com/trucks4x4/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=264318 will give you some good ideas. The conversion is a really good thing to do because the old units get dangerous after only a few thousand miles and GOOD bushings for that center steering joint are hard to get. The last time I had to buy one I got a MOOG brand unit. It lasted much longer than the original.

If you do this, TAKE LOTS OF PIC'S and post them. If you like I can show you some pic's of the Commando with the front clip off.

Arlyn


PS I did see a Ford 302 dropped into and early (flat fendered) M38 but it was not a pretty sight.

 

[jj]

There is a recent post on www.dieselplace.com about a 3-53 Detroit in an older jeep. Look under the 6.5 or the 6.2 forum for the thread entitled: DETROIT. I think the second page had the link to another site with the original story. Pretty interesting. It almost looked right at home, and the guy who did it claimed he got 34mpg outta the thing.

 

[Dieselsmoke]

Jerry Mambretti, a member of the MVCC had a M38 with a M151 engine in it. I never did look too close at it to see if it had the 151 transfer case/tranny as well or what. He purchased it that way, and was converting it back to the M38 engine.

 

[Ruppster]

An M38 is just a Jeep CJ5, or should I say that a Jeep CJ5 is just an M38.

You're thinking of the M38A1. The M38 is the flat fendered one. The M38A1 is what became the CJ5.

Ruppster
1962 Dodge C700
1970 Dodge CT800
1985 M1009 Blazer
www.dodge-semis.com

 

[vrod02]

An M38 is just a Jeep CJ5, or should I say that a Jeep CJ5 is just an M38.

There are lots of really good conversions in civilian CJ5s. The only problem there is that a CJ5 has a shorter engine compartment than a CJ7, the most common older Jeep you will find.

A real nice conversion, but getting hard to find and maintain is a Buick 225 or 231 V6. The early ones were call the "Odd fire" engine because the cylinders fired 90 degrees apart. For a 6 banger that meant it fired 3 times then skipped a beat. It had a hell of a flywheel to smooth it out. I have had 2 of these engines. In about 1978 they split the crankshaft into 6 cranks with a single rod on each instead of 3 with 2 rods on each and made it run evenly. That crankshaft wasn’t as strong and was known to snap.

The Jeep 304 CUI V8 might be shoe-horned into an M38, but it might mean some serious sheet metal work. Both a 225/231 and a 304 will bolt up to easily available transmissions, possibly even your old one.

I'm putting a 1970 Jeepster Commando back together with a rebuilt 231 that I drove for years 'til my daughter's boyfriend rolled it. Under the hood the sheet metal looks just like your M38 would; it even has the notches on the right fender for the snorkel. For all the off-road use I will put it to, it has plenty of power.

I'm not sure exactly what your steering system looks like, but I'll bet it has the pre-1970 style with the pivot in the center of the cross member. If it does, look seriously into a conversion. Look at '70 to '75 Jeeps for mounting parts or do like we have done on '60s vintage Jeeps and fab’ your own. Saginaw steering boxes off of '70 to '75 GM cars like Camaros and Firebirds are really good. Look for the ones with 4 mounting ears, but take a 3 ear version if you have to. Try to get one with around 3 1/2 turns stop-to-stop on the wheel.

http://www.off-road.com/trucks4x4/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=264318 will give you some good ideas. The conversion is a really good thing to do because the old units get dangerous after only a few thousand miles and GOOD bushings for that center steering joint are hard to get. The last time I had to buy one I got a MOOG brand unit. It lasted much longer than the original.

If you do this, TAKE LOTS OF PIC'S and post them. If you like I can show you some pic's of the Commando with the front clip off.

Arlyn


PS I did see a Ford 302 dropped into and early (flat fendered) M38 but it was not a pretty sight.

I think you ment A1. A M38 is related to cj3a NOT the cj5 Your looking for an L-head not a F-head

 

[maddawg308]

I got word from a local friend that there is a M38A1 here with a M151 engine mated to it, but he said it's a hideous bubba job. It works but the whole way it's bolted in is wrong...

 

[pilot]

A little off your original question but around 1971 CJ5s had the frame and front sheet metal extended about 4 inches to install the AMC 6 cyl. and V8s. It is easy to see if you compare late model front fenders against M38a1 and early CJ5 fenders.
I agree it would be nice to have an adapter kit to use the low mile or nos M151 engines available.
Greg